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Connor Tremble trial: Jury now deciding its verdicts in murder case

THE jury in the trial of Connor Tremble’s killer started considering its verdict this afternoon.

Judge Patrick Eccles finished summing up the evidence at about 4pm on day 13 of Will Blencowe’s trial for murder.

The 21-year-old admits stabbing Connor at his Fairacres Road flat in Oxford but denies murder, claiming he did it in self-defence and while suffering from a mental disorder.

But the prosecution says Blencowe committed murder in a jealous rage because Connor was seeing his ex girlfriend, Aimee Harrison.

The 17-year-old was stabbed 15 times on February 13 this year and died of his injuries at the John Radcliffe Hospital two days later.

Yesterday Judge Eccles summed up the evidence and said it is the defence’s case that Blencowe was "extremely distressed and suicidal" at the time.

He said: “The defence say there was cogent evidence that Connor Tremble was being led to believe by others that he was at risk of harm from Will Blencowe.

“There was also evidence, the defence say, that Connor Tremble is a young man willing to take up and brandish a knife if he thought it was necessary.

“There is also overwhelming evidence that Will Blencowe was suffering from a mental disorder.”

Co-defendants Bradley Jones, 21, of New Road in Bledington, and Grant Clemens, 24, of Stockwells, Moreton-in-Marsh, are also on trial accused with helping Blencowe, of Oxford Road in Banbury, and both deny perverting the course of justice.

The jury could not reach a verdict and will continue deliberating tomorrow.

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